JP2002529784A - Method of making optical fiber for fusion splicing and method of forming fusion spliced part - Google Patents

Abstract

  (57) [Summary]   Applying an optical fiber having a fiber jacket and an end, and adjoining the end during one of the operations of moving the gas substantially simultaneously to the area to clean the optical fiber and exhausting the gas from the area. And removing a predetermined amount of the fiber jacket from the region to be fused. Preferably, the fiber jacket is removed by cutting with a laser beam. The end of the fiber may be removed to form a smooth surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fiber.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to optical fiber technology, and more particularly, to a method for producing an optical fiber for fusion splicing and a method for forming a fusion spliced portion.

BACKGROUND ART In an optical circuit using an optical fiber and a connected segment used for a sensor, it is necessary to stably match between segments in order to guarantee and maintain an example of circuit performance. By fusion splicing, that is, heating and joining the segment ends, the x, y, z dimensions of the fiber axis and the rotational azimuth about that axis are stabilized.

In the current production of a fusion spliced part, a protective jacket is peeled off from the end of each optical fiber segment using a mechanical or scientific method, and this peeled end is washed to form each optical fiber segment. Prepare to form a smooth surface as in the case of mechanical cleavage in. However, the above operation is cumbersome and time-consuming, and is not only performed substantially normally only manually, but also damages the optical fiber segments and significantly reduces the quality and life of the fusion splice.

[0004] It would therefore be highly desirable to provide a method of making a useful optical fiber for fusion splicing.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for making an optical fiber for fusion splicing that can be easily implemented.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method of making a reliable fusion splicing optical fiber.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of making a high quality, robust and long-lasting optical fiber for fusion splicing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new method for efficiently and inexpensively making optical fibers for fusion splicing.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of making an optical fiber for fusion splicing that can substantially eliminate optical fiber contamination.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for fusion splicing optical fiber segments.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for forming a fusion splice.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new method for forming a fusion splice without labor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above and other problems have been solved, at least in part, by providing a novel method of making an optical fiber for fusion splicing, a method of fusing segments of an optical fiber. This is achieved by a new method of forming a splice and a new method of forming a fusion splice.

[0014] In certain embodiments, an exemplary method of making an optical fiber for fusion splicing comprises providing an optical fiber generally having a fiber jacket and an end;
Removing a predetermined amount of fiber jacket from the area adjacent the end while substantially simultaneously cleaning the area, e.g., by applying a pulse to the area and evacuating gas from the area; With. The step of removing a predetermined amount of the fiber jacket from the region adjacent to the end further comprises: directing a cutting beam against the fiber jacket; and moving the cutting beam relative to the region and moving the optical fiber through the cutting beam. Is included. Moving the optical fiber through the cutting beam includes rotating the optical fiber through the cutting beam and displacing the optical fiber through the cutting beam substantially along one of the x, y, and z axes. At least one of the steps is included. To completely create the optical fiber for fusion splicing, the method further includes removing an end of the optical fiber that is substantially perpendicular to the x-axis.

The above and other specific objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a novel method for producing an optical fiber, particularly for fusion splicing, a novel method for fusion splicing optical fiber segments, and fusion splicing A new method of forming a connection is provided. Embodiments of the present invention can be implemented easily and inexpensively, substantially eliminate contamination and causes of fiber optic segments, and provide a robust fusion splice for long periods of time.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like components are designated by like reference numerals,
In particular, FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagram of a system 10 for making an optical fiber 11 for fusion splicing, wherein the optical fiber 11 is inserted into a fiber jacket 13 as a coating and a fiber jacket as shown in FIG. It has a fiber cladding 12. The system 10 generally comprises a securing device 14 such as a chuck, a portion of the fiber jacket 13, a cutting device 15 for removing a region 16 adjacent to the end 17 of the optical fiber 10, for example, and a gas to the region 16. A gas supply 18 to be moved. The gas supplied from the gas supply source 18 can be air, a predetermined inert gas, or the like. Further, the gas provided from gas supply 18 may be supplied to region 16 in one of a continuous flow and pulsed manner, if desired. The gas can be evacuated from the working area by a vacuum device without moving the gas to the processing area 16. In this case, the gas supply 18 could be provided as a vacuum device.

In a preferred embodiment, the cutting device 15 includes an optical system that supplies a focused laser cutting beam 20 to the fiber jacket 13, and a plurality of laser cutting beams 20 can be used. The power intensity of the laser cutting beam 20 is at a level at which the fiber jacket 13 can be removed. In this case, the fixing device 14 is an optical fiber 1
1 is operably received and held, and if desired, the optical fiber 11 is moved into the laser cutting beam 20 and rotated one or more times about the x-axis and, if necessary, substantially along the x-axis. Displaced along the z-axis, perform the desired cutting operation, remove a predetermined amount of fiber jacket 13 from fiber cladding 12 with laser cutting beam 20 and expose exposed segments of fiber cladding 12 as shown in FIG. 21 are formed. Fiber cladding 1 of remaining fiber jacket 13
The cleaning of the laser cutting beam 20 is substantially the same as that of the normal cutting operation.
By adjusting the power density, wavelength and focus of the laser as needed. Further, during the above cutting operation, the optical fiber 11 can be rotated and displaced via the laser cutting beam 20 by the fixing device 14 as necessary, but the optical fiber 11 is also fixed and the cutting device 15 is rotated and displaced with respect to the region 16. It can be displaced.

The cutting device 15 may also be provided as a system including a device for supplying a laser beam of carbon dioxide that is scanned and focussed at, for example, a 10.6 μ wavelength and removes the fiber jacket 13.

During or substantially simultaneously with the removal of a predetermined amount of the fiber jacket 13 by the cutting device 15, the gas supply 18 is operated to move the gas, for example at the focal point of the laser cutting beam 20 over the entire area 16. An air pulse is applied to remove the remainder of the fiber jacket 13 that is removed during cutting. Cleaning of the region 16 by gas supply
It is important to ensure that no unwanted debris is present in the area 16 during the cutting operation and serves as a very effective way to clean and substantially reduce contamination of the fiber cladding 12. This cleaning step can also be performed by evacuating gas from region 16. After a predetermined amount of the fiber jacket 13 has been removed and the exposed segments 21 of the fiber cladding 12 have been formed, the fixing device 14 rotates and the optical fiber 11 is laser-cut to complete the production of the optical fiber 11 for fusion splicing. A portion at end 17 of segment 21 or an adjacent portion thereof is removed as it is displaced via beam 20 to form a substantially rectangular, or perpendicular, smooth surface to its x-axis. . On the other hand, this smooth surface can also be formed by a diamond wheel cutter on the exposed fiber cladding 12 cleavage. During this removal step, air can be moved by the gas supply 18 and, for example, an air pulse can be applied to the removed area to supply the system 10 and the optical fiber 11 in a lint-free manner. On the other hand, the optical fiber 11 is made free of dust by exhausting air from the cut area. If desired, the optical fiber 11 is also held fixed, and the cutting device 15 can be rotated and displaced relative to the optical fiber 11. Further, as described in detail above, multiple beams can be used in the process.

If the fiber 10 is made in the manner described above and is ready for fusion splicing, as shown in FIG. 3, the second optical fiber 30 is made in substantially the same manner,
This second optical fiber comprises a fiber cladding 31, a fiber jacket 32,
It has an area 33 defining an exposed segment 34 of the fiber cladding 31 and an end 35. The second optical fiber 30 has an x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis as shown in FIG.
Having an axis will be readily appreciated. Ends 17, 35 of optical fibers 11, 30
For the fusion splicing operation, the fixing device, such as the fixing device 14, is displaced and rotated, and is spatially or, if necessary, azimuthally aligned as shown. When aligned in this manner, the ends 17, 35 can be fusion spliced as shown in FIG. 4 to form a fusion splice 40 by conventional fusion splicing operations. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that upon completion of the fusion splice 40, the segments 21, 34 can be side-jacketed with a fiber jacket material if desired.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes to the above embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Various modifications to the embodiments selected for purposes of illustration can be readily made by those skilled in the art. This modification is included in the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention is defined only by the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for making a fiber for fusion splicing.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a fiber having a segment for removing a jacket which is a covering portion.

FIG. 3 is a side view of two opposing fibers each having a segment from which the jacket has been removed.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the fusion spliced segment of FIG. 3;

Claims (2)

[Claims] Providing an optical fiber having a fiber jacket and an end while moving the end relative to a cutting device; removing a predetermined amount of the fiber jacket from an area adjacent the end; Cleaning at substantially the same time. Providing a first optical fiber having a first fiber jacket and a first end and a second optical fiber having a second fiber jacket and a second end; Removing a predetermined amount of the first fiber jacket from the first region adjacent to the first end while moving the end of the first region relative to the cutting device; and substantially simultaneously cleaning the first region. Removing a predetermined amount of a second fiber jacket from a second region adjacent to the second end while moving the second end relative to the cutting device; and substantially removing the second region. And fusing the first end to the second end, and a step of aligning the first end and the second end, and a step of fusing the first end to the second end. How to form.